1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to storage racks and stands and, more particularly, to a storage stand of the free-standing furniture-type which is so constructed as to store bags containing golf clubs, or the like, therein off the floor and in an upright position.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Golf has become one of the world's most popular sports. At the same the cost of golf equipment, including the golf clubs, bag, and accessories, has increased substantially. For example, a complete set of clubs and carrying bag generally will sell for between one and three thousand dollars. In addition, many serious golfers have two or three complete sets of clubs. Nevertheless, most golf clubs are often left in the trunk of the golfer's car, in the basement, or in the back of a hall closet. The new, high technology types of golf club, such as graphite composites, can easily be damaged when mishandled in such a manner.
Instead, the golf bag and clubs should be stored in an upright position to prevent the golf club shafts from being bent or warped. In addition, because most of the weight of a golf club is in its head and the golf clubs heads extend outside the top of the golf bag to permit identification and withdrawal during playing, the bag should be secured to prevent its falling over. Accordingly, conventional display and storage racks, such as shown in Smith (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 118,458), Pollard (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 100,285), and Powers (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 145,103) are not suitable.
A number of golf club display racks have been used to display individual clubs. Representative examples of such racks are taught in Lockie (U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,437) and Wittek (U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,815). However, such display fixtures are directed only to displaying a number of clubs for sale within a limited space while allowing the customer to make an easy self selection.
Similarly, shipping boxes for golf clubs also separate individual clubs. Representative examples of such boxes are taught in Anderson (U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,353) and Zicko (U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,220). However, while providing protection for the clubs, such containers require the clubs to be separated and do not provide a place to store the golf bag itself.
Storage racks for home use have generally followed the retail practice of separately storing the individual clubs. Representative examples of such storage racks are taught in Kerr (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 164,503) and Robertson et al (U.S. Pat. No 1,404,893). However, these storage racks require the individual clubs to be removed from the golf bag, provide only limited protection for the clubs, and do not provide a storage place for the bag. Other storage racks, such as distributed by Austad's, Sioux Falls, S. D. as order no. GR44 attach to the wall studs in a basement or garage and suspend one or two bags by their carrying handles. However such an arrangement does not provide support for the bag, must be permanently attached to the wall, and would not be suitable in a family or recreational room.
It has thus become desirable to develop a stand for storing a golf bag and clubs which stores the clubs in an upright position to prevent the golf club shafts from being bent or warped, permits easy identification and withdrawal of the clubs when stored, and prevents the bag from falling over. In addition, the stand should not require the clubs to be removed from the bag or stored separately, thereby providing a place to store and support the golf bag itself. Finally, the stand should be suitable for home use.